Will Zac Taylor be fired? Bengals’ latest news reveals HC’s most likely outcome originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The Cincinnati Bengals have officially been eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive season after a 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15.
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Things have been tough in Cincinnati this season, and with such struggles and a 4-10 record, it’s no surprise that Zac Taylor is facing questions about his job status.
The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. revealed some important insights into the Bengals’ head coach. While the heat is turned on outside the tissue, it’s not nearly as hot inside. Despite his recent struggles, Taylor is not expected to be fired after this season.
Bengals expected to make Zac Taylor head coaching decision amid 4-10 season
Despite a 4-10 record, three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, and pressure from outside the organization, Taylor’s job is likely safe. “Having said that, firing Taylor still sounds unlikely right now,” Dehner wrote.
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Taylor’s contract runs through the next two seasons, and given the way the Bengals operate, it’s likely Taylor will play out his current deal.
As was the case with Marvin Lewis, who was coaching in the final year of his contract but was fired due to a ten-game losing streak, the Bengals will likely keep Taylor as head coach unless significant changes are made.
Additionally, Dana reported that the relationship between Taylor and team quarterback Joe Burrow is not bad, contrary to outside belief.
more: Bengals backlash from Ravens defender after 24-0 loss: ‘Too cold for them’
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Comparisons to Burrow come from the long-term injury he suffered early in the season. The Bengals are off to a 2-0 start, and things could have been a lot different if Burrow hadn’t been injured.
Bengals ownership may give Taylor another chance, as his team is without Burrow this season and doesn’t give him much of a chance to post a winning record.
All of these factors — two seasons left on the contract, Burrow’s support and an injury-plagued season — make it more likely the Bengals will retain Taylor through 2026 than fire him.
This is a conservative ownership group, and while fans are clamoring for change, the Bengals have several key reasons for Taylor to give Taylor another shot at taking the Bengals back to the playoffs and possibly even the Super Bowl, as he did not long ago.
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